ECU Clobbers N.C. State 15-3
GREENVILLE, N.C. – A trio of Pirates in Turner Brown, Bryce Harman and Zack Mozingo each belted home runs lifting No. 20 East Carolina to a 15-3 win over instate rival No. 8 NC State Tuesday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Pirates improve to 24-12, while the Wolfpack drops to 26-11.
Nick Durazo (1-0) picked up the win on a pitch count tossing 3.1 scoreless frames where he allowed one hit, walked four and struck out two. Chris Holba notched his first career save working three innings of relief where he surrendered one run (earned) on one hit with a pair of walks and one strikeout. Matt Bridges tossed 2.2 innings out of the bullpen giving up two runs (both earned) on four hits with two strikeouts.
Johnny Piedmonte (0-3) took the loss allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits with a strikeout in 1.1 innings. The Wolfpack used seven hurlers out of the bullpen getting outings from Sean Adler (2.0 IP, 1 R), Chris Williams (0.2 IP, 4 Rs), Karl Keglovits (1.1 IP, 1 R), Cody Beckman (0.0 IP, 2 Rs), Tommy DeJuneas (1.2 IP, 4 Rs), Tim Naughton (0.2 IP, 1 H) and Kyle Smith (0.1 IP).
ECU pounded out double-digit hits for the 22nd time this season (fifth-straight game) with 15 on the night. Five Pirates tallied multiple hits with Harman and Travis Watkins each collecting three. Brown, Eric Tyler and Charlie Yorgen added two hits apiece, while Brown, Harman and Mozingo each drove in four runs. All nine starters reached base in the contest with eight recording at least one base knock.
NC State posted six hits in the game getting a pair from Stephen Pitarra. Chance Shepard and Brett Kinneman each belted solo home runs – both coming in the sixth inning – to account for two of the Wolfpack’s three runs.
ECU jumped out to and early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Parker Lamm led off the frame with a single through the right side and took third on Kirk Morgan’s ground out off Piedmonte’s glove. With two outs, Lamm darted home on a wild pitch during Mozingo’s at-bat for the games first run.
Brown’s RBI single and Yorgen’s sac bunt pushed ECU’s lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Watkins led off with a single, which was followed by Harman’s base hit back up the middle. Garrett Brooks moved the runners up 90 feet on a sac bunt before Watkins scored on Brown’s single up middle. With runners on the corners, Yorgen dropped a bunt down the first base line plating Harman.
Mozingo gave the Pirates a big lift in the fourth inning smacking a grand slam to right field, which highlighted ECU’s five-run inning. Brown was hit by a pitch to start the frame and after a pair of quick outs, Morgan drew the first of his two walks putting runners on first and second. Tyler reached on an error to load the bases for Mozingo, who crushed a 1-1 offering off of Williams for his first career home run. The inning continued when Watkins reached on a throwing error by Joe Dunand, his second of the stanza. Brooks was hit by a pitch and Harman laced his seventh double of the season plating Watkins for an 8-0 Pirate lead.
NC State finally got on the board in the top of the sixth on solo home runs by Chance Shepard and Kinneman, which cut ECU’s lead to 8-2.
ECU responded with four runs in the bottom half of the sixth extending its lead to 12-2. Watkins scored when Luke Bolka reached on a fielding error by Evan Mendoza that put runners on second and third with one out. After NC State went to the bullpen to bring in DeJuneas, a 2015 Freshman All-America selection, Brown took a first pitch offering over the right field wall for his second home run of the season clearing the bases.
Harman capped the scoring for the Pirates in the seventh smacking his third home run of the year with a three-run shot to right center, which plated Tyler and Watkins in front of him for a 15-2 advantage.
Ryne Willard’s RBI sac fly in the ninth produced the Wolfpack’s final run of the contest making it a 15-3 final.
Game Notes: ECU had five two-out RBI pushing its season total to 77. The Pirates leadoff hitter reached base in six of the eight frames. ECU’s 15 runs were a season-high topping the previous mark of 13, which was against Jacksonville on March 26. Brown and Mozingo’s four-RBI night established a new career-high. Tyler pushed his multi-hit total to a team-best 15 on the season, while Watkins (10), Yorgen (nine), Brown (seven) and Harman (six) each had multiple hits. ECU picked up its third-straight home win over NC State dating back to 2014. The Pirates improved to 7-6 against nationally-ranked teams this season with the win. They also moved their record to 17-5 when collecting 10 or more hits in a game.
ECU will hit the road on Wednesday, April 20 when they travel to High Point for another midweek tilt. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. (ET).
